Wish You Were Here
by Seena58
Summary: [Vol 7 spoilers][Klaus centric] It was inevitable and they knew it. The problem was that, even as a demon, he could do nothing for the emotions that were a part of him and how it affected him as an individual. [One shot]


Disclaimers: Pita-ten is property of Koge-Donbo. The interpretation, however, belongs to me, even if it is a little… hm…

Notes: If you've read Volume 7 then it isn't really spoiler-ish. Just… the little demon-boy angst-ing over needless things. Hm, the joy. That and I really wanted to do it for some reason, and haven't done anything for ages.

Warnings: Over-obsessive angst, way-too-much-reflecting on a character we didn't see enough of, interpretations that probably aren't correct, etc. Oh, and odd writing style. Go figure.

Enjoy, I suppose.

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**Wish You Were Here**

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She looked so peaceful in death. She had accepted it so easily.

Too easily, in his opinion. If she had only agreed to return home, then it would have never happened. But she was a stubborn one, especially with the rediscovery of her missing memories.

He could only suppose that it was a form of punishment to him. It was, technically, his fault. He had been the one to retrieve her, and he had taken the easiest route; erasing her memories had seemed so innocent at the time, and he had been sure that it would work out. She would come back and do what every demon was meant to do, nothing more, nothing less.

But no, that mortal… the fool that anchored her mind back to the Surface World. He was the one who befriended her over time, married her... loved her. And she him.

It hurt, needless to say, although he would never admit it out loud. The way she played her role so sufficiently, it didn't seem possible. To toy with people's emotions and wreck havoc upon it and fate itself. Ingenious, but it didn't help with his reasoning.

Emotions. He had no need for them, and still, this… this was…

Klaus pushed the thoughts away roughly, hating himself for his weakness. But every time he looked in her direction – a mere shadow of her former self – he could not help but feel a bit more vulnerable.

When he had first met her, as an intermediate demon, he couldn't help but feel… something. He wasn't sure what it was, and had never really tried to find reasoning for it. It was a bizarre emotion for him, and a part of him – loathe to think it, let alone say it – found comfort in it. A demon's job was difficult, especially with the angels interfering, and never ending.

Yet Shia… Shia always seemed a little different from the rest. Maybe it was because he was being an idiot, or he was just too easily distracted, it didn't matter either way. Then it happened.

An accident that tore the demon away from home and… she had changed. At first she was completely detached from her demonic powers aside from the basic functions necessary to survive, and it was almost impossible to find her. She was a weak link, exposed to the Surface World with the mortals.

A part of Klaus had been desperate to find her, to bring her back. He used the excuse of them needing her back because she was a demon, and they were low on support, either way they looked at it.

The blonde demon did his best to ignore the second reason. Becoming attached or using personal feelings as an excuse would do nothing aside from ruin his reputation.

Still…

She had seemed so happy. Both as Shima and then as Shia, searching for her memories. He had known, and still… he had caused her so much pain for his own selfish wants.

He couldn't help it, either way. He was… just like that. Watching over her, he was her observer, and that was what he had done. He only intervened when it was needed, part of him fearing what would happen when she rediscovered a part of her past that would have put any demon to shame.

Shia, though, had not asked for it. Having lost her memory, it was only natural for her to believe herself as a mortal. And that was why she had spent a number of years there, 'growing up' and 'falling in love'. Yet being unable to truly sustain herself, she would have to give it up and return.

Why, then? Why was it that he took her memories away, when she had agreed in the end? He knew he said that they were 'bothersome' to her when he had done it, but it wasn't the only excuse he had.

He was jealous.

For a demon to be jealous… Klaus didn't even bother to think about it. It wasn't like him. To be like this. It wasn't…

… wasn't…

With a sigh, the demon turned away. Her feelings had been too strong to ignore, and it had lead to the most unusual of events. To have Shia, a demon, living with an angel, to already be so close to someone who could spark her memories... to see her so happy…

He had given her a choice, and she decided to stay. Kotarou was family, after all, and after the loss of Taro – finally unable to hold onto life – she felt it her responsibility to stay for the family she had loved dearly. Klaus understood this, and knew that it would be impossible to try to take her back by force, so he let her go. She didn't have much time, that much was obvious.

And then she was gone.

It was amazing, really, to see one fade away so easily. Mortals did that; angels and demons did not, if they knew how to sustain themselves successfully when they needed to stay on the Surface World for a period of time.

When he had come back for her, Kotarou - the reincarnation of her son – was desperate enough to beg for help. To bring her back…

"_Come on! Wake her up! I know you know how! Please, just do it!"_

It didn't work that way. It _never_ worked that way. Resurrecting the dead would have only disrupted the balance already delicate to begin with, and besides, it was impossible.

Yet even when he said those words – the harsh reality in life and in death – he couldn't help but feel guilty. He couldn't work out why, though. A demon's task did not involve consoling part-demon children when someone close to them passed on, but to see him like that…

Klaus could not truly understand why a part of him just wanted to say something to Kotarou; something to reassure the boy before he left, but he couldn't. All he managed was a patronizing tone reflecting how much it 'nauseated' him to be in the presence of him.

Reminding him too much of _her_.

If it hadn't been for _him_, _she_ would still be alive. And so he left, never wanting to see him again. It hurt too much, made him feel vulnerable, and he hated himself for it.

Besides, the boy still had the angel to help him through the hard times, and he would come to remember Shia to preserve her memory – a form used by many mortals when loved ones were lost.

He did not have such niceties, and perhaps that was another part of his loathing for the Surface World and what it held.

Klaus turned away from where she lay, composing himself once more and returning to the mask of indifference. Fate was cruel, destiny didn't usually go in favour of an individual and they would have to move on.

That was life, really, even if his hated it. He stepped away from the one sight that had unlocked more than what was necessary.

_Goodbye… Shia._

And then he was gone.

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EndNotes: … And Klaus is… a spaz? Not really, but whatever. (shifts away) And on a completely different and unrelated topic, I suddenly believe KlausxKotarou would be cute. Does that make me weird? (And no, don't answer that. It's a rhetorical question.)

Reviews would be nice, and I'll be getting back to Within the Shadows soon… hopefully. Please bear with me.


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